Web weighing



ct, 12, 1954 M. A. SCHWARTZ ETAL. L5M

WEB WEIGHING 4 Sheeis-Sheet l Filed Aug. 28, 1951 INVENTORS: Me/.s 7. fc4/f faam/0 H5/LAME.

06f l2, 1954 M. A. sQHWARTz An. ,639W

WEBl WEIGHING Filed Aug. 28, 1,95] 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 5 INVENTORSI Octe 129 E954 M. A. SCHWARTZ M.

WEB WEIGHNG 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Aug. 28, 1951 INVENTORS d., 2 1954 M. A. SCHWARTZ Erm. 2,691,517

WEB WEIGHING 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Aug. 28, 195] Patented Oct. 12, 1954 smrs anni

WEB WEIGHING Morris A. Schwartz, North Plainfield, and Roland B. lilane, West Keansburg, N. J., assignors to Johnson & Johnson, a `corporation of New Jersey Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for continuously dispensing web material, weighing portions thereof, severing the weighed portions and delivering the severed portions to a desired place.

The problems with which the invention is concerned occur in connection with weighing different kinds of web material of varying ilexibility, as for example surgical cotton which, after leaving a card line, is cut into small units for packaging and sale on a weight basis. Thus the invention is particularly adapted to the weighing of cotton and for illustration only is described as applied to apparatus for continuously weighing such material and severing the weighed portions thereof which are then transferred to some other place for further processing.

Heretofore, many operations involved in the weighing of cotton for packaging for consumer sale were performed manually, and accuracy in the weighing operation depended chiefly upon the skill and attentiveness of the operator. The improved machine dispenses with the services of an operator, and performs the weighing operation quickly, continuously, and automatically and with a very high degree of accuracy. Many economic savings are thus realized from the standpoint both of labor and materials cost.

Essentially the improved apparatus includes a scale beam supported at one end upon torsion pivots and provided at its other end with a roller over which the Web material travels in the process of being weighed. The web material after passing over the roller hangs downwardly runder the inuence of gravity causing a deflection in the scale beam which is resisted by the torsion pivots. According to the invention, the web material is led to the roller at the end of the scale beam in a path which if projected passes directly through the torsion pivot. As a result, the only rotational moment which must be resisted by the torsion pivots is that due to the weight of the web material supported by the roller, and the extent of deflection of the scale beam is directly proportional to such Weight. Accuracy in weighing is thus assured.

When a given deflection of the scale beam occurs, the weighed portion of material to be severed from the flexible web will have been determined. However, the trailing end of such portion, i. e., the line of severance, at the instant of its determination is in advance of the scale beam roller and severing of the web at that location would interfere with the continuous operation of the device. The severing operation accordingly is designed to take place when the predetermined line of severance, during the travel of the web, reaches a location beyond the scale beam roller. A cutting device is arranged at such location and its operation is automatically timed to take place the instant the predetermined line of severance arrives abreast of it.

The improved apparatus also includes a transfer device for grasping the severed portion of web material and moving it out of the path of the oncoming web'which continues to be dispensed. This device transfers the severed portion of web material to some other place or means, as for instance, a transporting device which carries it away for some other operation. The transfer device also operates automatically, being controlled by timing devices quite similar to those which control operation of the knives.

A better understanding of the invention may be had by reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of apparatus equipped with the present improvements;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing details of one of the torsion pivots supporting the scale beam;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view on line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a partly schematic view illustrating operation of the web transfer device;

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view on line 5-*5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a partial sectional View on line 6-6 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged plan view showing details of the web transfer mechanism;

Fig. 8 is an elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 7, a portion of the housing being cut away to show operating mechanism;

Fig. 9 is an elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 7 but viewed from the side opposite that illustrated in Fig. 8; and f Fig. l0 is a wiring diagram of time delay circuits by which the cutting and the transfer mechanisms are controlled.

A continuous iiexible web of material W such as cotton is drawn over a guide bar l0 by a pair of continuously driven pull rollers Il located one above and one below the web (Figs. l and 3). The rollers Il are fixed on horizontal, parallel transverse shafts I2 journalled in bearings i3 fixed on the machine frame I4 and are continuously driven in opposite directions from a vertical drive shaft l5 through appropriate intermediate gearing, not shown. The pull rollers Il deliver the web W in a substantially horizontal direction to a roller I6 over which it passes and from which it travels vertically downwardly under the influence of gravity. According to this arrangement, such tension as there exists in the flexible web W after it leaves the pull rollers Il is due solely to the weight of that portion of the web which hangsfrom and is supported by roller I6.

The roller i6 is disposed horizontally and parallel with the pull rollers H and is arranged :i for rotation on a shaft I1 located at the end ,of a scale beam unit I8. The scale beam unit is in` the form of an inverted L andincludes -two lat.l erally spaced horizontal arms-I9 which. are con--i nected together' at one end by 'fthe roller-shaft Vl5 il and at the other end by a cross strut 20. The smale beam unit also includes two spaced-parallel vertical arms 2l xed to and depending from the horizontal arms I9 at the location of thelcrossstrut and which in turn are connected to- 20 gether at the bottom-bye xcross-zstrutf22f, Two angularly disposed Vreinforcingtstruts. 23.` .tie -to-Y gether` the vertical and horizontal arms-at the re-Hw spective sides of the-scalezbeamunit-to lend-.it rigidity.

The inverted L.shaped--scalebeam unit @lis` supported in the. Xedframe-.M ofthe machine only where the horizontal and the vertical 'armsY thereof are joined together;` Thisl support consists of `a pair of short torsion -pivotbars Zatiixedv 130 one between the scalebeam unit atone side .andthe adjacent part 4of the xedmachineframe-f and the other.. in lcoaxial alignment therewith;-y but betwenthe .opposite side 1 of the scale-beam. unit and the corresponding-adjacent part ofthe fixed-:machinefrarne (Figs/ 1 and.=2). The.` arrangement is such that the torque.- resulting from-- the summation-of rotational-moments fdueto -the forces acting pupon the scale beamfunitis resisted by the torsional pivot bars 24, whichresistancei howevenpermits deflectionofthe-scale beam unit by an amount proportional-to thefsummay tiony of .-such rotationalforcesw Since-the-pathlf of that. portion of. the traveling .web -IWS between the pull rollers l l and the roller IS will, if projected;1 45 pass throughthe-.- axis fof Hthe torsionf supporting pivots 24, the force acting upon the scale-beamunit due to 4tension in that-portion of -Ythe web produces no momentof rotation aboutlsuch axis:- This is: particularly=importantfwherethe.z web material is of Varying iiexibility or to putlitanl other way, V of varying -rigidityfwhichwill-'be `reflected in a varying tension in that portion of fthe.: web 1 referred* to'V eventhoughY 4the\.weight :of that portion of the web overhanginggtheroller-V llis 55 otherwise thesame.` Indeedythe onlyfforce-ltend-A ing-to produce a rotational moment about thef. pivot support is that :which-pulls: downwardlymn the roller vl 6 and which results'from the weightof web supported by the roller. degree of scale beam unit deflectionv will' bef-pro--uy portional to such weight.

Assuming-thefmachine is- -setrtodispenses-agiven weight of cotton web which' is to be-severed,V

the-line of severance-willfhave :been: determined 65- when the scale beam reaches `a given' deflection. This line ofq-severancefat the moment of -its` deu termination will Lbe located in advance-of the., roller I6; i. e., between-therpull rollers-II and-LA the roller i6. To insure continuity.- of machineoperation, however. severanceiof thefweb .does` not occur until after such-.predetermined line has.Y traversed roller I6 and-has arriveddown:opposite-' a cutting mechanism later -to bef-described.

The line of severance is predetermined'asf'fol- Consequently, the.I

lows: Opposite and to the left of the cross strut 22 joining the vertical members 2| at the bottom of the scale beam (Figs. 1 and 3) there is located an air pressure operated electric switch 25, whose details need not be described, since it may be of well known commercial type. The switch unit has an air aperture 26 which so-long as air continues to flow unrestrictedly therefronrmaintains the switch in opened condition. Such is thenormal condition of the parts. However, when the scale beam unit I8 is deflected to a predetermined position corresponding to a given weight vof cotton supported by the scale beam, a restriction plate-2l1 xed on the lower cross strut 22y of the scale beam-approaches the air aperture and restricts the'iiow-'of air therefrom. A back pressure is thereby built up in the switch unit, which upon reaching a given value closes the electrical switch 25. The line of severance of the web is thereby determined. Variation in the weight of cotton to be severed as wellias adjust-f ment for miscellaneous `butK constant lrotational :1. moments acting about the scale' beam pivotfmay-r be obtained by varying the distance through. which the scale beam-moves before the back pres` sure is such as to operate theswitch. This may-.1iv lne-accomplished bymounting thev air operated-.2 electric switch 25 'onan adjustable slide 2=9nwhichg-y mayconsist of asmall platform 29 for support-i.. ingsuch switchi mounted for movement towardn and from the cover plate 2T on-a .pair of parallel l guidey rods` 3l! extending between a-par of. xed supports 3l (Figs. 1 and Y3). Adjustment in therposition of `the platform29 is securedby a rotat-v able rod 32 rwhich-passes through the outerfsup?. port 3l and which is threaded through'a block 321:" depending from theplatform.-I 29.* Awpairpf springs -33 encircling .the guide-ro'dsi and reacte ing between the outer suport 3l andthe adjust-A able platform 29 -serves to-eliminatefplayI-andd thus-assures accuracy in `the,4 adjustment.` Accuracy in weighing the desired amount of.-Icot-.. ton maybe-also secured vby damping themovee ment of the scale beam-through the provision: ofy a baile plate 34V depending fromthe -lower cross 2 strut- 22 of the-scale beam unit--I-into anfunder-"flying oil-lledreservoir 35--(Fig`.3).

The web severing device will-now -be-descr-ibedi Asv theflexible web Wtravels`1downwardly-ironie the roller IS-at the-fendof the/-scale-beam unit-* I 8 Eit passes between a pair of -knives 3 6 #located-i oneY in-v front randv the other-in back of the--web1 The knives normally arespaced apart a-distanceto-y permit the web yto pass-between them-with#- out-interference However, when the line-ati whichV the-web is 'to be'severedarrives-abreastof the knives, they-arel automatically-- moved -to-- ward each other-to cutoff-@that portion of the web which-'- previously had-been weighed. For this purpose the-knives'aremounted eachon a slideing block 31.J The blocks are slidably-supported-e at their-opposite -ends 'ona lpai-r off-horizontal;- parallel guide -bars 38 -whichf inturn are-supported at their ends -in brackets Bil-mounted onthe-xedframe of the machine` (Figs.- 1 and =-3). Th'eblock 31 carrying-the knife-#located-` atA onegside of the webis connected-to a pair of-Jeccentrlcrods 40" evenly-- spaced -from `Athe ends-hof the blockf4 through -relatively'- short intermediate connecting rods v4Il I whereas the other block` carrying: the if knife located at the--oppositel-sidetotitl1ewebiisconnected to a pair of eccentricrods.442@spacedu` at the-end of ysuch block, through'l longer cone.- necting rods 43.-1l The leccentric rodswarcw-ar--t ranged-on Aeccentrics 44;, fixed on :andriven shat-.c

45 in such manner as to move the sliding blocks in opposite phase as the shaft 45 is rotated. In other words as the shaft 45 turns through one revolution, the knives are moved from their normal separated position toward each other to shear through the web and then away from each other back to normal position.

The shaft 45 is connected through a cut-01T clutch 46 with a continuously rotating shaft 41 geared to a vertical drive shaft 46 driven by motor 48 (Figs. l and 5). The clutch 46 presents a cam surface 49 having an abutment 50 normally resting against a bar 5I constituting the armature of a solenoid 52. When the solenoid is energized, its armature is withdrawn from in front of the abutment 50 permitting engagement of the clutch and connection of the continuously rotating shaft 41 with shaft 45 on which the eccentrics are mounted. The clutch remains engaged until such shaft has completed one revolution, whereupon the abutment engages bar 5l which, in the meantime, has been restored to its normal position through deenergizing of solenoid 52. The clutch is thereby disengaged leaving the knife blades 36 in their normal separated positions.

A better understanding of the way in which solenoid 52 is energized may be had by reference to the circuit diagram of Fig. 10. The solenoid 52 is connected to a source of power 53 through a circuit which includes a normally open switch 54 operated in turn by a time delay relay 55 which is energized when the air operated electric switch 25 is operated. It will be recalled that the switch 25 was operated when the scale beam unit I8 assumed a given deflection determinative of the line at which the web is to be severed. The time delay relay 55 is such that even though energized it does not operate to close the switch 54 until the predetermined line of severance of the web has arrived abreast of the knives 36. At that time the switch 54 automatically closes energizing the solenoid 52 to operate the knives in the manner previously described. As soon as the predetermined section of web W has been severed, the scale beam unit i8 returns to its normal position permitting the air operated electric switch 25 to open. The time delay relay 55 and solenoid 52 are thereby deenergized and the parts all rendered operative for weighing and severing the next portion of the web.

The severed portion of web W is grasped and transferred out of the path of the oncoming web. Transfer may be to a belt or other mechanism for carrying the web away to another. place. The transfer mechanism is best shown in Figs. 3 to 9.

It consists in part of two pairs of grip fingers 56 located one pair adjacent each of the lateral edges of the traveling web W and directly beneath the cutting knives 36 (Figs. 3, 6, '1 and 8). In their normal positions the grip fingers 56 are open or spread apart as indicated by solid lines in Fig. 7. Simultaneously with cutting of the web however, the fingers of the respective pairs are swung inwardly toward each other to grasp the web between them as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. '7 and in Fig. 6. The fingers 56 move in to grasp the severed portion of the web near its upper end and while it s still in line with the oncoming web. As soon as the web has been grasped however, the fingers 56 are rotated from the position shown in Fig. 6 to the position shown in solid section in Fig. 4. This movement of the fingers transports the severed portion of the web out of the path of the oncoming continuous web and deposits the end thereof on the top flight of a continuously moving endless belt 51. Thereupon the fingers are spread apart to release the severed web which immediately comes under the infiuence of the bottom fiight of an endless belt 5&3 overlying the belt 51. The top and the bottom nights of the belts 51 and 58 respectively travel in the same direction and co-operate with each other to transport the severed web away. The pairs of fingers 56, now spread apart, continue their rotation in the same direction until restored to their normal positions ready for grasping the severed section of web which follows.

Except for being one right hand and the other left hand, each of the pairs of fingers 56 located at the opposite edges of the web and their operating mechanisms are the same. Consequently only one need be described.

The fingers 56 are arranged in a head 59 carried at the outer end of a crank arm 65 iixed on a short horizontal rotatable stub shaft 6i which upon rotation, moves the ringer assemblies in vertical planes at right angles to the plane of the traveling web. The fingers 55 are fixed on parallel shafts 52 journalled in the head 58 and provided at their lower ends with intermeshing spur gears 63 of the same size so that rotation of one finger in one direction is accompanied by corresponding rotation of the other finger in the reverse direction. A third shaft 64 parallel with shafts 52, is journalled for rotation in the head 59 and it likewise is provided at its lower ends with a spur gear E5 meshing with one of the spur gears associated with the fingers. Likewise journalled in the ringer carrying head 59 is still another shaft 65, perpendicularly disposed as regards the plane of the finger shafts 52, and which extends for a short distance externally of the head to receive a short crank arm 5'! which is fixed thereto. Rotation of the shaft 55 will, through a pair of co-operating helical gears 68, effect rotation of the shaft 55 and consequently rotation of the gripping ngers 55 toward and from each other.

The crank arm 61 is equipped near its outer ends with an anti-friction roller 69 arranged to track along a fixed edge cam 'Z5 disposed in a vertical plane perpendicular to the plane of the traveling web. Engagement of the anti-friction roller 69 with the edge cam 'it is maintained by a tension spring 1I connected at one end to the crank arm 61 at its outer end, and anchored at its other end to the stub shaft 5i (Fig. 6). In the normal position of the parts, the anti-friction roller 65 bears upon a high concentric portion of the edge cam 10. However, as soon as the crank arm 66 which carries the finger carrying head 59 starts rotating, the anti-friction roller 69 drops 01T the high portion of the edge cam 15 and on to a low concentric portion thereof. This causes the crank arm 5i which carries the antifriction roller 69 to be angularly dispiaced by an amount suiiicient to close the fingers and grasp the web.

The low concentric portion of cam 16 extends for about around its periphery. The fingers 56 accordingly maintain their grasp of the web W until the latter has been transferred to the belt device 51, 58 previously alluded to. As the web is delivered to the belt device the anti-friction roller 69 rides up on the high portion of the cam 10 to restore the ngers 56 to their normal positions with respect to their ringer carrying head where they remain while the crank arm 66 7 continues to rotate inthe same direction around to its normal position.

The stub shafts 6| by which the finger assemblies are rotated are rotatably arranged in bearings 12 mounted in fixed parts of the machine frame adjacent opposite edges of the traveling web W and the fixed cams 10 are secured respectively to the inner opposed faces of these bearings.l The stub shafts 6| are provided each at their outer ends with a spur gear 13 meshing with a corresponding gear 14 fixed on a transverse driven shaft 15, the gear arrangements being such that two revolutions of the driven shaft 15 are required to eiect a single revolution of the stub shafts 6| and the fingers 56 operated thereby.

The driven shaft 15 is connectable with a continuously rotating shaft 16 coaxially aligned with the shaft 15 and as is the shaft 15, journalled in the fixed frame of the machine, and helically geared to the main drive shaft 48 of the machine through a cut-off clutch 11 similar to that in the train of connections operating the cut-off knives. This clutch (Figs. l and has a cam plate 18 presenting an abutment 19 engaging the upper end of an arm 8D fixed on and extending upwardly from a rock shaft 8| arranged parallel with the driven shaft 16 which normally holds the clutch disengaged. The rock shaft 8| is journalled at its ends in the fixed machine frame and has xed to it, a depending arm 82 pivotally connected at its lower end to the armature 83 of a solenoid 84.

Having reference to Fig. 10, the solenoid 84 is in circuit with a source of power 53, the circuit including a normally open switch B5 adapted to be closed by a time delay relay 86 energized by the closing of the air valve operated by switch 25. Here again the time delay relay 86 is so designed as to effect operation of the switch 85 and energization of the solenoid 84 simultaneously with cutting of the web. As solenoid 84 is energized, it acts through its armature 83 and arm 82 to rock shaft 8| and arm 88 thereon in a counterclock- Wise direction, looking at the parts in Fig. 5, thereby to release the clutch cam plate 18 and effect connection between the continuously rotating shaft 16 and the shaft 15 which drives the finger transfer mechanism.

Since shaft 15 requires two revolutions to complete the cycle of the finger transfer device, means are provided for maintaining solenoid 84 energized until after one revolution of shaft 15 has been completed. This means includes a switch 81 (Fig. l0) which when closed short circuits the switch 85 operated by the time delay relay 86 to maintain solenoid 84 energized even though the relay 85 has in the meantime been opened'. Switch 81 is mounted on a fixed part of the machine and is operated by an anti-friction roller 8|?.v arranged to track along an edge cam 89 fixed on one of the stub shafts 6|, as for instance the one at the right in Fig. 6. This cam is for the most part concentric except for a low portion which is opposed to the anti-friction roller 88 when the parts are in their normal positions. When rotation of stub-shaft 6| is inaugurated in the mannerzpreviously described, anti-friction roller 88 is raised by engagement with the high portion of the cam,

to close switch 81 and maintain the solenoid. 84 energized until just prior to the time 'thatthe stub shaft 6| completes its revolution' whereupon the low portion of the edge cam 89 again'ispresented to the anti-friction roller. The switch 81v is so designed that when this occurs it opens to break the circuit through the solenoid. Deener'- gization of the solenoid permitswrestoration of the yarm to its normal position wherein the abutment 19 on the clutch cam plate will .bank against it to effect disengagement of the clutch 11.

It should be noted that the belt device 51, 56 will not interfere with rotation of the grip fingers 56 since the ends of the latter will clear the lateral edges of the belt even when in their closed or gripping positions (Fig. 6). Nor will the fingers during completion of the operating cycle after the web has been deposited on the belt conveyor, interfere with the oncoming cotton web because the lingers at that time in the cycle, are in their normal separated positions.

The invention has been described in connection with the preferred embodiment thereof but many modifications are included within its spirit. It is to be limited therefore, only by the scope of the appended claims.

The invention claimed is:

l. A device for weighing dispensed portions of a continuously traveling flexible web of material, which comprises a scale beam unit rotatable in response to the summation of moments acting on-the scale beam unit about an axis of support therefor, means on the scale beam unit spaced from said axis for supporting the flexible web as it continuously travels thereover and through which the Weight of the web is transmitted to the scale beam unit, and means for guiding the flexible web in its travel toward and on to said supporting means in a plane which contains said axis of support.

2. A device for Weighing dispensed portions of a continuously traveling flexible web of material, which comprises a scale beam unit rotatable in response to the summation of moments acting on the scale beam unit about an axis of support therefor, means on the scale beam unit spaced from said axis for supporting the flexible web as it continuously travels thereover and throughV which the weight of the web is transmitted to the scale beam unit, and means including a pair of co-operating feed rollers whose axes are parallel with said axis of support for guiding the flexible web in its travel toward and on to said supporting means in a plane which contains said axis of support.

3. A device for weighing dispensed portions of continuously traveling iiexible web of material, which comprises a scale beam unit rotatable in response to the summation of moments acting on the scale beamv unit in opposition to torsion exerted by means presenting an axis of support about which the moments act, means on` the scale beam unit spaced from said axis for supporting the fiexible web as it continuously travels thereover and through which the weight of the web is transmitted to the scale beam unit, and means for guiding the flexible web in its travel toward and on to said supporting means in a plane which contains said axis of support.

4. A device for weighing dispensed portions of a continuously traveling flexible Web of material, which comprises a scale beam unit including a frame with lateral elements, rotatable in responsel to the summation of moments acting on the scale beam unit in opposition to torsion exerted by means presenting an axis of support about which the moments act, means on the scale beam unit connecting said lateral frame elements together,

spaced from said axis and including a supportA for the flexible web as it continuously travels thereoverand through which the weight of the webis transmitted to the scale beam unit, and?l means for guiding the flexible web in its travel toward and on to said support in a plane Which contains said axis of support.

5. A device for Weighing dispensed portions of a continuously traveling exible web of material, which comprises a scale beam unit rotatable in response to the summation of moments acting on the scale beam unit about an axis of support therefor, means including a roller mounted on the scale beam unit parallel and in spaced relal0 flexible Web in its travel toward and on to said 15 roller in a plane Which contains said axis of support.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Number Name Date Wright Oct. 14, 1924 Abbott May 1, 1928 Hadley Dec. 22, 1931 Cady Aug. 19I 1932 Phillips Dec. 5, 1939 Mason Jan. 14, l1941 Ward Oct. 16, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date France Mar. 29, 1929 Great Britain July 11, 1929 

